1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a safety device for supporting a pedal, in particular a braking pedal, in a motor vehicle and including a bearing support for supporting a pedal shaft of the pedal and arranged between a wall portion of a front wall of the motor vehicle, which is noticeably deformed inward into a passenger compartment during a frontal collision of the motor vehicle, and a cross-member which is located in the passenger compartment in a spaced relationship with respect to the front wall, is secured to a motor vehicle body, and does not substantially change its spacial position during the frontal collision. The pedal shaft is retained in an abutment in the bearing support which, under normal operational conditions of the motor vehicle, absorbs the reaction forces generated upon actuation of the pedal necessitated by the normal operational conditions of the motor vehicle. During a frontal collision of the motor vehicle, the pedal shaft is released by a release mechanism supported on the cross-member.
2. Description of the Prior Art
During a collision of a motor vehicle, there exists a danger that as a result of deformation of the front of the vehicle, the parts arranged in the region of the front wall of the vehicle such as, e.g., the steering gear or braking elements, in particular, the brake power booster will be displaced inward in the direction toward the passenger compartment, in particular, toward the driver.
Therefore, different means for removal of the operational devices which are arranged in the region of the driver's seat, in case of an accident and, in particular, in case of a frontal collision, were proposed. Thus, German publication DE-OS 33 37 232 discloses a device which in case of a relative movement, caused by an accident, of constructional elements, which are arranged in a motor space, e.g., of the vehicle motor, of the steering column, should pull them forward, away from the driver, which results in an increase in free space in the regions of driver's breast and head.
As a result of a deformation of a front of a vehicle caused by a frontal collision, operational devices arranged in the region of the front wall of the vehicle are displaced inward, i.e., toward the vehicle driver. Some of these devices, in particular, the pedal units, which are located in the foot area of the driver's seat, can be displaced so far back that they can cause an injury to the driver. Thus, the impact forces can result in a transmission of a pivotal torque, which is generated by impact forces, to a pedal, in particular to a braking pedal by a brake rod which is connected with the pedal lever and is spaced from the pedal shaft. This pivotal torque causes pivoting of the pedal in a direction opposite to its actuation direction which can result in a serious injury of the driver whose foot may be on the pedal.
German Patent No. 2,841,988 discloses a pedal unit provided with a pedal support which is connected, in its upper region, to a cross-member of a vehicle, which connection is released by a relative movement of the braking unit resulting from a collision. The lower region of the pedal support remains permanently connected to another part of the vehicle with appropriate connecting means during the collision. As a result, when deformation of the front of the vehicle, which is caused by a collision, occurs, the pedal support moves, together with the pedal, forward and downward, increasing free space for the driver's feet.
German Publication DE-OS 39 04 616 discloses an arrangement for supporting at least one pedal and including a bearing support which is secured to the front wall and which cooperates with an ejection or a deflection device secured to a cross-member, located in a passenger compartment in a spaced relationship to the bearing support. The deflection or ejection device is so formed that in case of a frontal collision, it imparts to the bearing support/pedal unit, which tends to move inward, a pivotal movement which results in the movement of the pedal forward toward the front wall. While the known safety devices provide for a certain safety in the region of the foot area in front of the drier's seat, the total safety cannot be achieved and some danger of injury still remains because the pedal still remains in the foot area of the driver.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide such a safety device for supporting a pedal, in particular, a braking pedal, which in case of a dangerous accident, on one hand, insures increase of the foot area and, on the other hand, excludes emerging of loose parts.